Fried Ice Cream Becomes a Hot Idea

DEAR SOS: A while back you printed El Torito’s Fried Ice Cream recipe. May I have a copy? It’s delicious.

--YOLANDA

DEAR YOLANDA: You can say that again. These crunchy, cereal-coated ice cream balls are served in hour-glass-shaped fried tortillas for a spectacular presentation.

EL TORITO DEEP-FRIED ICE CREAM

20 ounces chocolate chip ice cream

2 cups 4-grain flake cereal, crushed

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

3 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 eggs

1 teaspoon water

4 (8-inch) flour tortillas

Oil for deep-frying

Cinnamon mixed with sugar

Whipped cream

4 maraschino cherries

Form ice cream into 4 balls. Place in baking pan and freeze solid, 2 hours or longer. Mix cereal, sugar and cinnamon. Divide equally between 2 pie plates or other shallow containers. Beat eggs with water.

Roll each ice cream ball in cereal mixture and press coating into ice cream. Dip coated ball in egg wash, then roll in second container of cereal mixture. Again press coating onto ice cream. Freeze coated ice cream balls solid, 4 to 6 hours.

Shape each tortilla into hourglass form (with narrow waist) by cutting off curved slice from 2 opposite sides. One end will serve as base for ice cream. Other end will be decorative fan.

Heat oil in wok or large deep-fryer. Place tortilla between 2 ladles or large spoons of different sizes (smaller ladle on top). Place tortilla so that base end is cupped in larger ladle to form basket, with back of upper fan supported by handle of larger ladle. Deep-fry until crisp. Drain and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Set aside.

Deep-fry frozen coated ice cream balls 30 to 45 seconds. Place each fried tortilla in large-stemmed glass, with fan part of tortilla standing vertically above glass. Set fried ice cream ball in base of tortilla. Top with dollop of whipped cream and decorate with cherry. Makes 4 servings.

DEAR SOS: Several years ago I visited Musso & Frank Grill in Hollywood and ordered the braised lamb shanks. I haven’t forgotten them since.

--HELEN

DEAR HELEN: Neither have we. Here’s the recipe shared by Musso and Frank back in 1976.

MUSSO AND FRANK’S LAMB SHANKS

4 lamb shanks

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt, pepper

8 medium carrots, peeled and cut

8 small white onions

8 button mushrooms, caps only

8 small pieces celery

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 cup green peas

Sprinkle lamb shanks with garlic and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bake at 350 degrees about 30 minutes, turning frequently to brown all sides. Add carrots, onions, mushroom caps, celery and tomato sauce.

Bake at 375 degrees 45 minutes to 1 hour or until meat is tender. Add peas after 30 minutes cooking time. Makes 4 servings.

DEAR SOS: We were in Bishop, Calif., and bought a loaf of beer bread. Could you get the recipe or a similar one?

--PAT

DEAR PAT: We’ve printed beer bread recipes since they became popular among the club tea set in the ‘60s. The bread is a cinch for cooks who don’t want to go through the trouble of using yeast. Just mix the ingredients, pop the batter in the oven and you have a warm, moist bread to serve with salad or a barbecue meal.

BEER BATTER BREAD

3 cups self-rising flour

3 tablespoons sugar

12 ounces beer

1/2 cup butter or margarine

Combine flour, sugar and beer in bowl. Stir to blend. Turn into 9x5-inch loaf pan. Melt butter and pour half over dough. Bake loaf at 350 degrees 20 minutes, then pour remaining butter over loaf. Continue to bake another 40 minutes.

Serve warm with butter; or cool and slice, then toast slices and serve with butter. Makes 1 loaf.

DEAR SOS: As you probably know, the coleslaw at the Tam O’Shanter on Los Feliz Boulevard in Los Angeles is delicious. I would much appreciate having the recipe.

--ROSEMARY

DEAR ROSEMARY: It’s been a long-time favorite of Tam O’Shanter fans, so we are delighted the recipe was made available by the Lawry people, who own and operate the restaurant.

TAM O’SHANTER INN’S FAMOUS COLESLAW

4 cups shredded cabbage

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1 cup chopped celery, including leaves

1/4 cup chopped cocktail peanuts

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/4 teaspoon seasoned pepper

1/3 cup Italian salad dressing made from mix

Toss cabbage, green onions, celery and peanuts together lightly. Sprinkle with seasoned salt and seasoned pepper. Pour salad dressing over salad and toss. Chill thoroughly. Makes about 8 servings.